THE ONLY STORY
by Julian Barnes
When you read a Julian Barnes book, you know that it’s probably not going to be a happy tale. But it will be exquisitely written – almost poetic. The Only Story is indeed not happy. As the Globe and Mail said, “Julian Barnes’s latest novel is for the person who likes to listen to sad songs after a breakup. The Only Story hurts while it comforts.”
The Only Story is a coming-of-age narrative in three parts. Part I is told from the perspective of the 19-year-old narrator, Paul, who has fallen in love with a 48-year-old married woman, Susan. His is a blind, egocentric love. We’ve all been there. We think no one has ever felt like we feel. Their love is perfect. In Part II Paul and Susan have moved in together and reality has begun to set in. Paul realizes their love isn’t unique and doesn’t necessarily lead to happiness. By Part III, Paul is a 69-year-old man reflecting back on his and Susan’s love. He is grappling with the question of which memory is most true: those of his 19-year-old self or those from his twenties and thirties.
Paul’s different perspectives on this all-consuming love affair are exactly what make this book so mesmerizing. Barnes explores the phenomenon of memory and how there is never really just one story. Stories depend on who is telling them and how immediate the telling is. Memory alters stories. What once seemed liked truths often change and even become incompatible. Barnes is a master observer of human behavior and articulates his observations beautifully. The Only Story is not uplifting, but you will marvel at Barnes’ writing and this book will stay with you long after you have finished it. (Liz)
